Enrollment Process

Full-time Enrollment

All HBS doctoral programs are full-time academic programs. All doctoral students must register as full-time students. The faculty advisor must approve a student's course/time selections each term. Students are expected to complete doctoral course work in the first two years of the program.

Time Limit

Offers of acceptance into the Doctoral Programs are valid only for the year in which they are made; no deferrals or postponements of admission are allowed. Ordinarily, it takes five academic years from the date of initial registration in a program to complete all the requirements for the degree. In no case will a student be allowed more than eight years to complete one's degree.

Registration & Course Selection

All doctoral students are expected to register each semester whether or not they are in residence at Harvard. Materials regarding course/seminar selection for the upcoming academic year are sent to the students in August. HBS doctoral courses may be added or dropped during the first two weeks of each semester. MBA courses may be added or dropped during the specific MBA add/drop period of each semester (typically within the first two days of classes). Students will receive additional information from the Doctoral Programs Office prior to the start of each semester.

Cross-registration

Students may cross register into courses at any other Harvard school (except the Harvard Extension School), Tufts Fletcher School, or MIT, but they must comply with that school's registration rules and calendar. The Doctoral Programs Office will assist all students with the cross registration process. By the end of August each year, the Office will email registration and cross registration instructions to all students. If the student decides to add or drop a course, one must inform the Doctoral Programs Office, as well as the school into which one is cross-registering.